Probe launched by Foreign Office into allegations of child abuse on British territory of St Helena

July 26, 2014 Comments Off on Probe launched by Foreign Office into allegations of child abuse on British territory of St Helena

Probe launched by Foreign Office into allegations of child abuse on British territory of St Helena after claims were revealed by child protection charity

Foreign and Commonwealth Office promise independent investigation
Comes as social worker on island claims she was forced to resign
Said she was shocked over sheer volume of sexual abuse allegations
Claims she was harassed and threatened when she blew the whistle

By Louise Eccles 24 July 2014

A social worker on St Helena who claims she was forced to resign after authorities failed to tackle ‘appalling’ child sexual abuse on the island will have her shocking allegations probed by an independent investigation, Mail Online can reveal.
The social services manager, who has asked not to be named, said she was shocked when she arrived on the British overseas territory by the sheer volume of sexual abuse allegations.

But she claims she was harassed and threatened when she blew the whistle on the alleged failure of police to properly investigate such crimes.
Now the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has promised an independent investigation will be launched into her claims.
The probe comes after Mail Online revealed that a report by UK child protection charity The Lucy Faithfull Foundation found St Helena was rife with child sexual abuse, domestic violence and sexual exploitation.

The charity was sent to the remote South Atlantic island by the British government, although the report was never released.
A spokeswoman for the FCO said: ‘These are extremely worrying allegations which we take very seriously….
‘Paedophiles were found to be private foster carers. Staff were allowed to have sexual relationships with vulnerable adults. Reported rapes were not dealt with.